1. Technical Field
This application relates to a surgical stapling device. More particularly, this application relates to a surgical stapling device having an improved tip construction for accessing and/or separating tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical staple or fastener applying instruments or devices for joining tissue are well known. Typically, such devices include opposing jaw structure for grasping and clamping selected tissue, wherein one of the jaws of the opposing jaw structure includes a cartridge which houses a plurality of staples or fasteners. In some instruments, a knife is provided to cut tissue which has been joined by the staples or fasteners.
Linear surgical stapling devices, for example, include two elongated members which are relatively moveable to capture or clamp tissue. Typically one of the members includes a cartridge which houses a plurality of staples arranged in two or more linear rows and the other member includes an anvil having a plurality of staple forming pockets for receiving and forming the legs of the staples. Typically, a knife is movably positioned between the linear rows of staples such that when the stapling device is positioned about tissue and actuated, the tissue being joined and/or sealed is simultaneously or nearly simultaneously cut.
Linear surgical stapling devices are commonly used during surgical procedures to simultaneously seal and cut target tissue, e.g., vasculature, organs, etc. It is not uncommon during such procedures that certain tissue, e.g., vasculature or other adherent connective, joined or other tissue, adheres or is joined to the target tissue and must first be separated from the target tissue before the procedure can continue. Currently, a separate device is used to dissect or separate the certain tissue from the target tissue before the target tissue and/or the adherent certain tissue is operated upon. Also, it is a known practice to attach a guide or carrier tube to the distal end of the anvil and to use a separate instrument to pass the tube around the target tissue or structure. The tube is also used to move the back wall of the target tissue into the jaws of the staple device. The tube is removed after the staple is in proper position and then the stapler is fired. These procedures require extra steps and devices and can be time consuming and expensive especially during endoscopic procedures.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists in the art for a device which can be used not only to join and cut tissue but also to separate or dissect certain, e.g., adherent tissue from target tissue. The various embodiments and possible combination of features of the dissecting tips and of the stapling devices and end effectors disclosed herein are advantageous in that they provide dissecting tips or devices mounted or supported on the stapling device, end effector or SULU, therefore which effectively reduce the number of tools needed, reduce the time involved in, and simplify dissection, isolation of target tissue, and stapling procedures. The devices also provide better placement of the stapling device relative to the target tissues. These advantages reduce fatigue of physicians and reduce the cost of the surgical procedures to the hospitals and the patients.